Question?

H

Hamulicz2

Joined
Feb 13, 2006
Messages
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Hi. I just ordered a custom made bowie. The knife is 16" overall with 10" blade 1/4"thick flat grind from O1 tool steel. I wanted a knife that can withstand some choping and keep and edge pretty well. I read about this steel and it seems like it does hold pretty good edge, but What about toughness? Can this knife take some abuse (on wood, not nails and stuff)
without breaking in half?
Thanks.
 
Reggie Barker won the World Cutting title with an O-1 blade. Not sure if it won both titles, as he used different knives for his back to back victories. It's pretty darn tough if heat treated correctly.
 
Bailey, you are correct. Reggie won two world titles, back-to-back, with his "Border Guard" camp knife in O-1 tool steel. There were some minor changes from 2004 to 2005, like the drop in the handle, but I don't believe the heat treat changed, and the steel certainly didn't.

Other steels like 5160, 52100, L-6, A-2, and CPM 3V are reputed to be tougher at a given hardness, but I've never heard of O-1 failing in rough use, either. You'll be well served with a chopper in O-1 with a good heat tereatment.

Todd
 
This knife is not gonna be differentially heat treated. Can it still be as tough as the differentially heat treated blade?
 
With a soft spine and a hard cutting edge, any knife is gonna be extremely tough, regardless of wether it was differentially hardened or differentially tempered. A through hardened blade isn't gonna be quite so tough, but a blade of O-1 that's 1/4" thick at the spine will be VERY hard to break. I think you'll be well pleased. If you plan to use the knife hard, test it thoroughly before taking it out for "real". The maker should warranty any defects found in acceptable use.

Todd
 
I use 01 and have not had any problems when heat treated correctly. I will be using 01 again at the WCC in Atlanta in June. same steel but a little different design.
Reggie
 
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